


Tolerance

by rock_lee



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 13:05:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5457494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rock_lee/pseuds/rock_lee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garrus isn't really drunk, but Shepard thinks so, so why not do a little harmless flirting with the best friend he has loved since day one?</p><p>| shakarian / different take on how the romance started / me2 |</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tolerance

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys!  
> just a few things - i mean it when i say garrus isn't drunk! he's just happy and relaxed, plus he's head over heels for shep! who doesn't feel drunk when around the one they love? :-)  
> also, shep is the default shep in this! i love jane shepard more than i love myself
> 
> enjoy!

Garrus isn’t a lightweight. It takes a few good ones to get his tipsy, but a good old fashioned Palaven Sunrise will knock his ass right into a drunken haze. It’s not like he wanted to down a few of those, but Joker was one hell of a convincing human. It definitely didn’t help that they were celebrating his birthday either. All drinks had been paid for by his comrades and he sure as hell wasn’t going to pass that up. On a vigilanties budget, he couldn’t have drunken like this. This was a dream come true from all the stress, battle and Collector business. Purgatory was more or less crowded but thanks to a not-so-dead Spectre, they had managed to snag a few reserved tables. Shepard always tried to celebrate the crews birthdays and she was enthused that they happened to be docked for his. She had practically forced him down into the nightclub’s neon territory. He should have seen it coming, but the birthday surprise party was nice.

Thane had even given him a ‘ _blessing_ ’ (and a round)! That green faced bastard had actually done something besides crawl up Shepard’s ass. Ugh, the thought made Garrus tip another shot glass back. He hated how that drell slithered up to Shepard any chance he got. Didn’t he know that Shepard was off limits? She had rejects everyone… Liara, Kaiden, that Verner kid… Hell, she had a list of more that they would joke about. Thane wasn’t getting anywhere with all his mysterious and genteel ways of treating her. Garrus had already tried that.

No, Shepard wasn’t going to fall for some assassin with family issues. Garrus was pretty much the same, only a vigilante, and he didn’t get any love from Jane. They only flirted, only knew how to avoid the unbearable attraction between them. No, she was off limits. Speaking of off limits…

Her smell had done far more intoxicating in the seconds he had caught wind of it behind him then the whole night of drinking had. “Alright Big Guy,” Shepard had murmured over his shoulder, one resting on his arm as the other reached over him to pluck the shot glass from his talons. “I think you’ve had enough to give you a good traditional birthday hangover.”

“Shepaaard,” he thrummed happily, flaring his mandibles in his lax state. The turian bartender gave him an odd look, but Garrus only brushed it off. Who cares if he lets his subvocals let loose for a night? It’s not like she can even hear the unbridled affection there. All she hears is her supposedly drunk best friend having too much fun. She didn’t need to know that his binge drinking after her death had more or less built his tolerance to a whole new level. A krogan level. Shepard smiled when he tilted his head to peer at her. Oh Spirits… she was truly something else. Her red hair looked much softer than usual. And were her eyes always that green? Damn, she really looked good tonight. Alright, so maybe those Palaven Sunrises did do a little something.

Her hand squeezed his arm and she laughed. Ah, now that's a sound he likes to hear. It wasn't very often she laughed outside of her room or the sacred main battery. She hadn't laughed like she use to after her… resurrection so anytime the sound graced him, he felt like the Spirits had granted him some sacred privilege. “Garrus? You having a good time?” Ah, the playful banter.

He could do this. He hadn't actually anticipated she would have a conversation with him tonight. It had more or less being a stressful week for her (it's only the lives of millions of colonists sitting on her shoulders) and he had expected her to nab some lucky human for some relief. Seems she was sticking around. Good. He liked her being around.

His now empty hands reached up and gently stroked her hair. It was so soft. Her eyes conveyed her surprise for only a moment before that gentle smile she only ever gave to him and Tali appeared on her face. Yet another well earned privilege upon being her best friend. “You're hair,” he slurred, “it's soo pretty.” Smooth. How did she always manage to make him feel like a lovestruck fool? Oh wait, _he was_.

She put his shot glass down and shook her head with an affectionate smile. “Oh Garrus, how many did you have?” Clearly enough to make her think he was wasted. He chuckled and twirled a lock around his gloved finger. It really was a sight. Oh, how he longed to do this. To share such an intimate touch with her and get away with it.

“Enough,” he purred to her and purposely dropped his vocals to a steady rumble. “How about we get out of here?” Woah, where did that come from? Sure, he was head over heels for his best friend since day one, but he never… It seemed she was having the same thoughts with her eyebrows raised like that. Human faces were funny.

“Are you… _propositioning_ me Garrus?” He felt like such a fool but he wasn't going to let this slip. No, this was good thing. She thought he was piss drunk so maybe she would later think it was only the liquid talking, not the turian vigilante. He could always blame Omega on making him bolder, right? No, the only thing Omega had done to him was kill his squad, get him addicted to stims and violence. It hadn’t given him anything good until the last stand. It gave him Jane, flaming and gun raised as she had charged across that bridge.

“If I am…” He slowly rose with his words to tower over her, hand now pressed beneath her chin. If she were turian, this gesture would mean so much more. “Would you say yes?” His visor easily picked up her heart’s rising beat and body temperature. It sure seemed she would like to say yes. This… dancing around each other that they had perfected was getting old. The Omega 4 Relay was getting closer and closer. He knew survival was low. She did too. Did they really want to keep dancing until death played them another card? He had lost her once and nearly again when his blood had coated her fingers. Why did they keep this up?

Jane swallowed. “Garrus…” She reached up and took his talons in her own tiny hands. “You’re drunk. What you’re saying…” She laughed and it sounded too forced, too bitter. Sad and a little bit hopeful. He hummed and pressed closer.   
  
“Really Jane? You think I don’t know how I feel? I’m no lightweight.” She bit her lip. Oh, that was hot. Just how soft were those pink lips of hers? He wanted - no, needed - to find out. His other hand rose and gently touched it. She trembled. Interesting… “You are my best friend Shepard. My only friend. How could I not feel like this when you showed me just how perfect you are?” No, that was too loving. She wouldn’t believe that no matter how much of a hopeless romantic she was. He had to kick it up a notch. “The way you hold your guns… I think that says it all. Really gets more than my blood pumping. You sure know how to handle those big guns.” Her eyes grew dark. Now he was getting somewhere. Maybe some more suggestive talking would do the trick. “And well, you know me. I love a woman who likes to savor that last shot before popping the heat sink.” Her eyes scanned his face and suddenly, like a light, it seemed to click with her. He wasn't drunk. Her pink tongue suddenly slipped out and touched his finger. His vocals hit a shocked but very much aroused note. The bartender sneered in disgust and that was in Garrus decided to go in for the kill.

“How about we go… test how good of a shot you really are? We know I can handle a gun, but I need to know if you can keep up.” His brows rose when Shepard beat him to the punch. Her fingers were suddenly resting on his hips and his moan was answer enough.

  
“I know the perfect place to… test our skills.”   
  
This birthday was turning out better and better.

 


End file.
